drive lines...

[no1udknow]

Hey guys,
I was reading over a few threads about 1 piece drive lines and I read that there may be some other drive line options for a short bed. Can anyone elaborate on this? is there other vehicles with the same length as a swb? I thought I saw something about a ford ranger drive line?

[Keith Seymore]

Other options besides a one piece prop shaft?

Well, you could have a two piece....or a "no piece" (lol). Those are the only options I can think of.

The shaft type was determined by a bunch of vehicle characteristics (wheelbase, engine/trans length, rear axle ratio, vehicle top speed, plus any unusual driveline bending resonances) in an attempt to keep the shaft out of it's critical speed range. Vary any one of those items and it could move you from a one piece to a two piece or vise versa.

I always use a one piece when I can, due to less mass and complexity.

Unless the right shaft falls out of the sky your best bet is to simply measure up what you need and have it made locally.

K

[no1udknow]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Other options besides a one piece prop shaft?

Well, you could have a two piece....or a "no piece" (lol). Those are the only options I can think of.

The shaft type was determined by a bunch of vehicle characteristics (wheelbase, engine/trans length, rear axle ratio, vehicle top speed, plus any unusual driveline bending resonances) in an attempt to keep the shaft out of it's critical speed range. Vary any one of those items and it could move you from a one piece to a two piece or vise versa.

I always use a one piece when I can, due to less mass and complexity.

Unless the right shaft falls out of the sky your best bet is to simply measure up what you need and have it made locally.

K

well, I am running a shortbed now with a th350 short tail. But I read in another thread someone mentioned they picked up a driveshaft from a ford ranger to run as a 1 piece. I was just wondering if there were other interchangeable drive shaft options. The only really necessary thing would be the yoke would need to be the right size to match the existing u joint, other than that a ballanced drive line is a piece of tube. Otherwise there would be no way you could ever have a custom driveline made right?

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by no1udknow

The only really necessary thing would be the yoke would need to be the right size to match the existing u joint, other than that a ballanced drive line is a piece of tube. Otherwise there would be no way you could ever have a custom driveline made right?

Right. Assuming the yoke is correct, the length is correct, the material chosen is correct, the material sidewall is correct and the u joint working angles are correct, and there are no unusual driveline resonances resulting in bending resonances, high speed vibrations or low speed shudders.

Other than that - correct.

K

[brad_man_72]

I had 2 different length driveshafts in my swb, about 2" different in length, they both fit properly and I didn't change any parts.

So without a length we have no way of telling you what other cars you need to go look under. Then let's say you found the perfect length driveshaft (unlikely) the forklift operator didt bend it (unlikely) and it wasn't ruined in an accident... you just spent a bunch of time looking for the right shaft that still needs ujoints and have the ballance checked. Seems a lot easier to me to just have a shaft built to your specs, reusing your trans yoke can save you a few bucks.

So why do you need a new driveshaft?